Frustrating Rear View Camera Problem

[Jake Royd]

Bought my MH 2 years ago.
At that time it had a working rearview camera. An Eonon monitor.
This slowly started dying so I replaced the rearview camera with an Ebay cheapie.
This worked fine but the image was sort of black and white with only traces of colour.
I then had a discussion with one of the many 'specialist' suppliers out there who said replace the camera with one of our 'better quality' ones.
Result was exactly the same.
Recently the monitor has been failing to turn on so i have today replaced it with an Ebay cheapie.
Result , monitor turns on fine and has a sharp clear picture , BUT, it gives the same washed out almost black and white image as the old monitor.

The monitor has auto switching PAL/NTSC etc and brightness/contrast and colour adjustment.
The colour level makes very little difference , so does the contrast, however brightness works fine.

Anybody any idea of what's wrong?
The only bit of the original installation is the cable.

I have attached a picture which is not very accurately rendered , the image is not really blue as it looks on the image , really it's grey with faint colour.

 

[TinaLes]

Sorry Jake Royd I can feel your frustration, but when I had the dual lens camera fitted to our new van, I enquired about having one with the screen at the rear view mirror position to then be told by the infamous installer that were "crap"compared to the stand alone 7" Dometic LCD monitors.
I bowed to their experience & knowledge as they fit them all the time, result is that it works great, full, colour during the day, with switchable rear views.
Unfortunately you may have to spend it more dosh and get a tried & tested well recognised brand.
I do know that certain UK MH manufacturers fit the overhead rear view monitors, in the same position as yours, maybe they will be along and tell us how great they are, but I have read some negative comments also.
Good luck, hope you get it sorted soon.
Les

 

[David and Sally]

I think that's about it for quality.

I guess as long as you can see what's behind you well enough why the need for accurate colour.?

I don't think the two professionally fitted systems I have had are any better. Same monitor as yours on one.

 

[tonyidle]

There are two apparently identical versions of the mirror monitor available on eBay:

800 x 480

Car Rear View Mirror Monitor HD Rear-View + Camera 170°HD Nightvision | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Car Rear View Mirror Monitor HD Rear-View + Camera 170°HD Nightvision at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

rover.ebay.com

and 480 x 234

7''Car Rear View Mirror Monitor+Reversing Parking Backup Camera Kit Night Vision | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 7''Car Rear View Mirror Monitor+Reversing Parking Backup Camera Kit Night Vision at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

rover.ebay.com

Despite my choosing the first I came to that happen to have a dramatic price difference the prices are not representative. More typically the 800 x 480 can be found for >£50 and the 480 x 234 can be bought for >£25.

There is a massive difference in picture quality as you might expect.

 

[Jake Royd]

Thankyou for your help.
I'm ambivalent about the quality issue.
The first replacement camera was £11 and the second £35, they performed identically and even the exterior was identical.
My reason for lashing out an inexpensive £18 for the monitor was based on a little bit of research comparing the control panel on the RHS of the monitor.
They are identical to monitors selling for £50 plus.

The menu and the 'no signal' screen on the monitor is in full colour, just not the received image.

I also compared the technical specs as far as I was able. These are the same too.

Yes, there could well be significant technical differences that more expensive systems provide.

The new system perfectly usable , but it obviously lacks something.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[eddie]

So you have a "ebay" cheapie camera and you have an ebay "cheapie" monitor

That will probably be the issue

 

[Lenny HB]

I had one of those monitors on a previous van I think I paid over £100 11 years ago, quality was very good.
The problem with cheap Chinese stuff is they make them look identical to the good stuff but the internals arte crap. Sometimes you get lucky and get a good cheap one but it's pot luck.

 

[David and Sally]

This guy knows his stuff

DRW Electronics, Rear View Camera Specialists

DRW Electronics specialize in rear view camera systems for cars, motorhomes, buses, taxis and trucks and carry large stocks from the simple basic systems up to the four camera systems with quad screen

www.drwelectronics.com

 

[Jake Royd]

I spoke to Mr DRW a year or so back about the same issue.
He wasn't able to help really, except to advise a new camera or monitor.
He could not say technically why I had this issue.
Some of his monitors are identical, even down to the remote, or at least the external cases are.

If I could try a quality monitor and get a good image I would buy it.

 

[David and Sally]

Where are you? Anywhere near Kidderminster?

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[Jake Royd]

Where are you? Anywhere near Kidderminster?

Stourbridge

 

[David and Sally]

Why not go see him for a demo?

 

[jockaneezer]

I wonder if the quality of the cable makes any difference ?

 

[Sandancers]

Why not go see him for a demo?

He's often at shows, if you ring him up and find out where he is next attending you could take into the show your monitor and camera. He could easy then connect each in turn to his display equipment, eg your monitor to a camera of his etc.. Then your be able to compare what you see to what you have in your MH. For instance if one of his cameras gives a great pic on your monitor then your monitor is OK, and if your camera is great on his monitor then the camera is OK.

Out of interest, what sort of picture do you get in the dark from your set-up ? Ours has fantastic daytime quality but rubbish at night.

 

[Campervan_man]

Vision Plus Ranger are crystal clear.

I have one one My Dethleffs.
I have a wireless £70 system on My box van. Does the job { just about }
An ex-boss used to buy the cheapest camera system possible if He sold a van and the customer negotiated one in to the deal.
With one ebay cheapo system at dusk the camera lights up like a torch { not red dots infra-red }.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jake Royd]

He's often at shows, if you ring him up and find out where he is next attending you could take into the show your monitor and camera. He could easy then connect each in turn to his display equipment, eg your monitor to a camera of his etc.. Then your be able to compare what you see to what you have in your MH. For instance if one of his cameras gives a great pic on your monitor then your monitor is OK, and if your camera is great on his monitor then the camera is OK.

Out of interest, what sort of picture do you get in the dark from your set-up ? Ours has fantastic daytime quality but rubbish at night.

That's an excellent idea.
As I mentioned above, it's perfectly usable but not right.
Don't know what it's like at night, I'll go and see........................

 

[Off da Grid]

When I was playing with ours a while back I got it to look like yours by playing with the white balance, contrast and colour buttons.
You may just need to adjust these again.
Set everything to medium and see if that helps.
Might save you some cash.
Just a thought suppose you have got colour cameras?

 

[Jake Royd]

Thanks for your suggestions.
There is no white balance, there is brightness,contrast and colour.
As mentioned , only brightness seems to have any noticeable effect.
Yes, it's a colour HD camera.

The image is perfectly sharp and initiates instantly (with the old monitor the image took 5 secs to appear) , just with very little colour.

 

[PhilMary]

Bought my MH 2 years ago.
At that time it had a working rearview camera. An Eonon monitor.
This slowly started dying so I replaced the rearview camera with an Ebay cheapie.
This worked fine but the image was sort of black and white with only traces of colour.
I then had a discussion with one of the many 'specialist' suppliers out there who said replace the camera with one of our 'better quality' ones.
Result was exactly the same.
Recently the monitor has been failing to turn on so i have today replaced it with an Ebay cheapie.
Result , monitor turns on fine and has a sharp clear picture , BUT, it gives the same washed out almost black and white image as the old monitor.

The monitor has auto switching PAL/NTSC etc and brightness/contrast and colour adjustment.
The colour level makes very little difference , so does the contrast, however brightness works fine.

Anybody any idea of what's wrong?
The only bit of the original installation is the cable.

I have attached a picture which is not very accurately rendered , the image is not really blue as it looks on the image , really it's grey with faint colour.View attachment 346997

Looks the same system as is fitted to mine. Are you aware it is daylight sensitive. If you are parked in a dark(ish) area the appearance of the monitor display changes significantly. Are you parked under a bridge/roof/garage?